Interstate 35W Bridge to Light Up Red for World AIDS Day

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — The Interstate 35W Bridge will be lit red Thursday night for the World AIDS Day and the Red Ribbon Ride. World AIDS Day is observed on Dec. 1 to raise awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of the HIV infection. The Red Ribbon Ride is a 4-day, 300 mile bicycle ride through southeastern Minnesota aimed at raising awareness and funds that benefit eight local HIV/AIDS service and care organizations.

These organizations include African American AIDS task Force (AAATF), Clare Housing, Hope House of St. Croix Valley, Minnesota AIDS Project (MAP), One Heartland, Park House, Rural AIDS Action Network (RAAN), and The Aliveness Project.

The Minneapolis City Council passed a resolution in November praising the organizations for their effort to "provide a platform for conversation and care around HIV in Minnesota, furthering their vision of seeing an end to the human suffering cause by this disease."

The resolution continued, stating that "lighting the 35W Bridge" Thursday "will not only act to honor the work of these amazing local organizations and those who are surviving and those who have lost their lives to
HIV/AIDS, but will also serve as a reminder of the work yet to be done to eliminate new infections
world-wide."

According to the Centers for Disease Control more than 1.2 million people in the United States are living with HIV and almost one in eight people are unaware of their infection.

Image via City of Minneapolis